BOS general secretary rails proposed credit card ban
Despite inquiry findings, the Swedish government has committed to pushing ahead with a ban on the use of credit cards for gambling, a move which has now been opposed by the trade body
Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) has pushed back against fresh calls from the country’s government to ban the use of credit cards for gambling purposes.
The Swedish government announced today, 23 February, that it was planning to push ahead with its recommendation to follow the leads of Norway and the UK.
The proposal has faced criticism from BOS, with the association stating that the government is going against its own investigation into the matter following the Over-indebtedness Inquiry that was undertaken last year.
The report from the inquiry recommended the continuation to allow gambling with credit cards, which BOS supported.
In a statement released by BOS secretary general Gustaf Hoffstedt, the association expressed its regret that the government had not listened to the conclusions of the report.
Hoffstedt said: “It is sad that the government does not listen to its own expertise and instead proposes a ban on credit cards when gambling, contrary to what the government investigation has concluded.
“The government is handing yet another competitive advantage to the unlicensed gambling market, which has a 41% market share when it comes to online casino.
“The risk is great that unlicensed gambling will overtake and gain a larger total market share than licensed gambling in 2024.”
In making his case, the secretary general argued that the government has not proposed a corresponding credit card ban for anyone looking to buy alcohol.
In Sweden, alcoholic beverages can only be purchased from a retail monopoly that is owned and operated by the government.
In his conclusion, Hoffstedt added that the government should shift focus and demonstrate it is on the side of licensed gambling companies and safeguarding the country’s consumers.